Conveyer system for manipulating flat articles



Aug. 23, 1932.

H. KLAUCKE CONVEYER SYSTEM FOR MANIPULAT'ING FLAT ARTICLES 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed June 5, 1929 I! i 4 i 1932- H. KLAUCKE 1,873,428

CONVEYER SYSTEM FOR MANIPULATING FLAT ARTICLES Filed June 5., 1929 V 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Hamel No. 1,830,359,

by tacks,

Patented Aug. 23,

UNITED STAT HERMANN KLAUCKE, 0F

MIENTS, T0 L. H. HAMEL LEATHER 00.,

PORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS wononsrnn, MASSACHUSETTS, Assrenon, BY MESNE ASSIGN- P'A 'E TY OF HAVERI-IILL, MASSACHUSETTS, AyCOB- coNvEYEn SYSTEM FOR. MANIPULAE'iNG FLAT Anricniis Application filed June -5,

This invention relates to certain improvements in conveyer systems primarily designed to be. employed in connection withthe starting point, and the dried skins are removed and fresh skins are applied.

The boards are thus carried thru a complete cycle of operations in'an endless path, and in the preferred embodiment of the system a series of conveyers are provided, from one to another of which the boards are, successively transferred, so that the boards are carried in an endless, vertically disposed path, the arrangement being such that the boards are carried horizontally by a primary conveyer at a convenient low level, While the tacking-on operation is performed, then are transferred to a slow moving conveyer in the drying room, by which they are carried from the front to the rear end. of this room, then are raised and moved in the opposite direction at a higher level, then are delivered I from the room at this level to a returning conveyer, which carries them back over the primary conveyer and then lowers them to the original level and delivers them to the primary conveyer, so that the operation may be repeated. p

In order that theboards may be conveniently handled in this manner, each board'is provided with trunnions at its opposite edges and in axial alignment at one sideot its center of gravity, and each conveyer'eomprises a pair of chains between which the boards are supported and with which the trunnions are respectively engaged.

In automatically transferring the boards performed while the'boards are 1929. Serial No. 368,640.

from one conveyer to another as they are moved about the circuit, difierent conditions are encountered, which; requires different transferring means, one of the more diflicult of which is in lowering the boards from the overheadreturning conveyer to the end of the primary conveyer, so that the boards will be delivered from one to the other inperfect time and without-appreciable strainon, or

shockto the parts. V

'The object of the presentlinvention is to provide a suitable, reliable and efiective means" for transferring the boards from a conveyer arranged to carry'the boards horizontally at a cet-ain high level and to deliver them to another conveyer arranged directly therebeneath in predetermined time and without undue strain on the parts.

- Thesepbjects are accomplished by means 1 l of the construction and arrangement hereinafter described and illustrated inthe aocompanying drawings, in which Fig 1 is a side elevation of one endportion of the system. 7 Fig. 2 is a plan view ther'eof.'-

Fig. 8 isa view similar to Fig. 1, on a somewhat larger scale illustrating the invention more in detail. V d Fig; 4 is a detail view of one of the locking latches whichis employed.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view at Fig. 4.

For the invention claimed herein, it is unnecessary to describe allot-the mechanism which is employed in conducting the'boards through- .out the; circuit hereinbefore referred to, consequently,the disclosure hereinafter made will be confinedto'those parts which are directly associatedwith saidinvention. The primary conveyer comprises a pair of endless chains 6, 6, each of whichisdriven horizontally inthe direction ofthe arrow. in

Fig. 1, aboutan end sprocket 7 on shaft 7,

said chains being provided with projecting 8 at suitable intervals for engagement purposes (if the disclosure of the latter being the particular'articles to be 0011- veyed.. The trunnions of eachboard are my ranged to project in axial alignment from t eentrically; W ththejspree set 13, said plat its opposite edges and the axial line thereof is located at one side of the center of gravity,

so thatWhen supported by the trunnions only the board will be held in a vertical position by its gravity. Horizontaltracks 11,,are pr ovldedjin conjunction with the chains '6, 6', so

that for a portion of the distance which the boards are propelled by said chains,'they may be -held in a horizontal position, in which p01 -s'ition-. the stacking-on foper'a'tio'n, above" 'rev ferred to, is performed. The returning conveyer also compr ses a pair of endless chains 12, which are also arranged in parallelismf and driven horizontally, being carried about end sproc'ket's"13"mounted"on ashaf t 30 supported in the frame v 32 ofthe ;ma ehine.fl Said chains 12. are also provided with :Pit eet es..fi s e r n a eme t withlthe trunnions of the boards and are driven inthe directionindicated .bysthe arrew a ja nt h te'c F e .thet l p portions .e ehainsf t a el n the erpes te d re t en' t the ee pe iene e h lere or primary ha ns 6- Tracks a e a s ar Vided for holding the boards, horizontal -p si e jl eeth y: e ep pe ed by t e eha 12.

As p et y di os nleaid epp ieetien f H- Hamel, he ski s are. retehed and a ked .e ethe "b ar s h y e -drawn e-leeg; .9 the; Weeks-1.1 by: haiase, auste i eredea drying room nd carried here,- threugh at abou l vel f; theehe nsfiithen a e l f d an u ned atabe.u th lere Of he eheins-l2 d tre fer edte the lat er and he izeetallarenj t e. tracks ewa ds the sprockets 13,.so that as they are being rern d. t ey w n t. hens-d w nd. s r k the operators Who will beengagedin tacking e skins Onto th b ards Whi e a ried. hyff Primary e nveye i espreviqu ly indicated; itis nasty-ea V the boards, as they are returned by 'be ngkateaded from, a

2, b vr de ve e o the eha ne :6, enda'i i p p e, the spreeke s-J fare-made efa d am t r n ar yq alzte. vth di tenee tween the operating portions of the chains 6, nd I Al e; ser e eefwbe l-ereek tat attached t'o'each latchandtd thespgdcjkaboye a a d eelielelly heldsthe are ef; he l the tion' directly over the axis of t sprocket.

The tracks 15 are terminated adjacent the l V sprockets 13, so that,'as eachboard is moved into proximity to the sprockets 13 it is With- .drawnffrom thetracks'andby its gravity swings into a vertical position, as indicated inFigI 1, and, then by engagement With'an abutment :24, is' -swung forward sufficiently to clear the. shaft 30," vandthen is permitted to swing back tozt hevertical positionl. I The tiniing of the chains with relation to-the sprockets l3 is-suclfthjat-as"each finger 14 on the chains l2 ;is moved into proximity to a. posihe sprockets 13, the roller lg'on o ne of the latches 16 Will be engaged .withithe cam face 21, so that the arm havingithe hook shaped eridjportion 18 will be swung intoeng agement with one side of a trunnion 9,wh1chw1llbe engaged at its .oppo site side by a finger 14, and,as a result, 7

by the time the-roll 19 passes onto the circular ca rn face2 2,thetrunnionsl) of the board will lie-clasped between the latch and the finger, assheyvn detail in Fig-4, in which position,the trunnionsywill' be freeto turn, but will .other;wise beheld against movement relat Ye fie he-e e'ieel-e er spr k Th cgndition will: continue until the trunnions 9 vhal be n ee 'r ee'l eem t e s near y 180" or n arly ee: s n e r e.-

i so

a path of 0B 7 neath'thea-Xis. ofthe sprocketslg, at which pointthe roller on the latch will be moved out of with tlieicireulaigface 22 and into, engagement with an inclined abutment 25 on frame, causing the latch to be swung bee fte rie-e1 Posi and out sas mea w th e ween e-ne e r -eeem t ies eee mhetz eie eeee a rpres me iy he iaeteet the trenn e s at he lowest point ef itst-tr relare l n a d it theeheins ehee' El $e 2,, e d 3, h p etrnounted directly over the chains 6,

' \as theyeXtendfronrtheir sprockets 7, so that he t e t en ens s are e gag d o thelatches t hey1will be permitted to fall onto the chains fi, whichare driven in as close. preai e t ite afl e reh es 12 e is pre e 'As, aresult,.the board will then be supported theichainstiand trunnions 9 thereof will ,beengaged byth-efingers 8 ofthe chains, so

becar-riedon thereby.- The operation transferring the boards from the return cpn veyer tothe primary conveyerj is thus performed without undue strain, or sudden shocks to the parts, as the arrangement is 1 that ,hetime he s gaged fromthe trunnionsfihe latter will have been carried practically into engagement with the chains 6, s0 that distance which the egerd ell n e n ran ferre is i pp a e.

a theiboards have been returnedto the primary conveyers.theidriedskins will be re- IQWQd eedfr e sk n w ll be n, e0

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about the wheels and until the artioleshave been lowered to a delivery position.

2. In a system for conveying articles having oppositely projecting trunnions, a delivering conveyer comprising a pair of endless chains arranged to be driven horizontally and having wheels about which they pass downward at the delivery end of the conveyer, projections on the top sides of said chains for engaging said trunnions, to hold them in predetermined positions on the chains while in the horizontally driven positions thereof, thereby to convey the articles successively in spaced relation, and retaining meanson said wheels for holding each pair of trunnions in approximately said positions with relation to the chains while the projections thereof are being moved downwardly about said wheels and until the articles have been lowered to a delivery position.

8. In a system for conveying articles having oppositely projecting trunnions, a delivering conveyer comprising a pair of endless chains arranged to be driven horizontally and having wheels about which they pass downward at the delivery end of the conveyer, means on the top sides of said chains for engaging said trunnions, to hold them in predetermined positions on the chains while in the horizontally driven positions thereof, thereby to convey the articles successively in spaced relation, retaining means on said wheel for holding each pair of trunnions in approximately said positions with relation to the chains while the engaging means thereof is being moved downwardly about said wheels and means for moving said retaining means to disengage the same from the trunnions when the articles have been lowered to a delivery position.

4. In a system for conveying articles having oppositely projecting trunnions, a delivering conveyer comprislng a pair of endless chains arranged to be driven horizontally and having wheels about which they pass downward at the delivery end of the conveyer,

means on the top sides of said chains for engaging said trunnions, to hold them in predetermined positions on the chains while in the horizontally driven positions thereof, thereby to convey the articles successively in spaced relation,

spaced relation, retaining means operatively actuated .to hold each pair of trunnions in approximately said positions with relation to the chains while the engaging means thereof is'being moved downwardly about said wheels, a receiving conveyer comprising a pair of chains'arranged to be driven beneath said wheels, and means for automatically moving said retaming means to disengage the same' from the trunnions when carried to posl- 1 tions adjacent the lowest point of travel of the wheels to permit the trunnions to be transferred to said receiving conveyer.

V 5. In a system for conveying articles having oppositely projecting trunnions, a delivering conveyer comprlsing a pair of endless chainslarranged to be driven horizontally and having wheels about which they pass downward at the delivery end of the conveyer, means on the top sides of said chains for engaging said trunnions, predetermined positions on the chains while in the horizontally driven positions thereof,

to hold'them in thereby to convey the articles successively in retaining devices on each wheel arranged for engagement with the trunnions to hold them in approximately said positions with relation toth'e chains while the engaging means thereof is being moved downwardly about the, wheels, and means to move said retaining devices to disengage them from the trunnions when the articles have been lowered to a delivery position.

,6. In a system for conveying articles having oppositely projecting trunnions, a delivering conveyer comprising a pair of endless chains arranged to be driven horizontally and having wheels about which they pass downward at thedelivery end of the conveyer,

means on the top sides of said chains for engaging said trunnions, to hold them in predetermined positions on the. chains while in the horizontally driven positions thereof, thereby to convey the articles successively in spaced relation,la'tches on saidwheels arranged'to engage said trunnions as they are moved over to topfportion of the wheels'and to hold the trunnionsin corresponding positions relative thereto as the latches are moved downwardly and means for moving said latches to releasethe trunnions when the articles have been lowered to" .a delivery position beneath the wheels,

7, Ina system for conveying articles having oppositely projecting trunnions a delivering conveyer comprising a pair of endless chains arranged to be driven horizontally and having wheels about which they pass downward at the delivery end of the conveyer,'a series of spaced projections on the top sides-of said chains for engaging said trunnions while resting thereon, to cause the MU- cles to be propelled as the chains" are driven,

latches'pivoted on said wheels and projecting beyond the peripheries thereof in position to engagesaid trunnions as the ehains pass onto saidwheels and hold them in proximity thereto as they are moved downwardly about the wheels and means to; move said latches to disengage thesame from the trunnions at a low point in the travel of the wheels 'and'permit delivery ofvthe articles,

8. In a system for conveying articles hav ing oppositely d sposed supporting.tr inn ons, a primary conveyer' comprising a pair of chains arranged to run horizontally and on whichithe trunnions are supported as the articles are conveyed thereby, a delivery conveyer comprising a pair of chains arranged to run'horizontally directly above the correspending chains of the primaryiconveyer and, having wheels'about which the chains thereof are driven to pass downwardly in'to proximityto the chains of the primary conveyer, said delivery conveyer chains having engaging lnean's on their top sides for supporting the trunn ons npredetermlne'd positions thereon vas they convey the articles towards said wheels, retaining means on said wheels oper atively actuated to hold the trunnions in said positions. on the delivery chains against the action of gravity as they are carried downi Wardly about said wheels and means for moving said retaining means "to disengage the same from the trminions to permit the trunnions to, move by gravity onto said primary oonveyer chains as they are carried into proximity thereto.

9. In a system for eonveyihg articles hav ing oppositely disposed supporting truninons, a primary conveyor comprising a pair of chainsarranged to run horizontally and on which the trunnions are supported as the arimam ' of chains arranged to run horizontally and on which the triinnions are supported as the articles are conveyed thereby, a delivery conveyer eompr s nga pair of chains, warranged t0 'run, horizontally "directly overthe correspending chains of "the primary i onveyer,

and having Wheels about which the cha ns thereof are driven to pass dov 'nwardly into a proximity to the chains of thefprim'ary conveyer, engag ng 'me'anson the top sides of said delivery oonveyerfchaihs for supporting the tri nnions inpredetefmined positions thereon as they convey the article's "towards" said Wheels, locking means, on said wheels operative to hold the trunnions in said positions as they are carried downwardly about the wheels, and means for disengaging said lo'ckv ing means from the' triinnions as they are carr ed nto proxim ty With sa d primary conveyer chaise, to permit the same to beeome engaged'therewith by gravity action.

In testimony whereof I have "hereunto affixed my signature; v KLAU KE tioles areconveyed thereby, a delivery cony r c mpr i a pair f ha rang d to run horizontally d rectly above the corresponding chains the primary c'onveyer and having wheels about which the chains there- 'of are driven to pass downwardly intov proximity to the chains of the primary oonveyer,

said delivery conveyer chains having abutmentsontheir top sides for holding the trun- I l nions in a series of predetermined positions thereon as they oonvey'the articles towards said wheels, a'series of latches operatively 'movable'to hold said trnnnions in said positio'ns 'as they are carried downwardly about said wheels, a fixtureezztending throi ghoutapproximately the entire length of the down wardly extending portion of the path of said deliveryconveyer chains and having a face arranged to hold said latches in operative po- 

